Leather-trimming machine



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1..

G. SCHMIDT. LEATHER TRIMMING MAGHINE.

No! 384,287. Patented-June 12, 1888.

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No. 384,287. Patented June 12, 1888.

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GUSTAVE SCHMIDT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

LEATHER-TRIMMING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application tiled March 1, 1888.

.To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAVE SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new andnseful Improvements in LeatherTrimmingMachines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an improvement in leather-trimming machines forharnessmaking and the like.

It consists, primarily, in a pair of adjustable jaws carrying knives ofany desired shape, according to the nature of the work to be done, andadjustable guides for holding the work in position; also in apressure-roller for holding the strap down in position to be brought inproper position in relation to the knives, so arranged and connectedwith the guides and jaws that as the roller is moved to admit a newpiece of work the jaws and guides open automatically to receive it, andclose again as the roller is replaced in working position.

The nature of my invention will be more fully described in the followingspecification.

In the accompanying d rawingsflormi ng part of this specification, theinvention is illus trated, and in the different figures like letters ofreference indicate identical parts.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved leathcrtrimming machine. Fig.2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is airont elevation showingthe roller and knives. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are perspective views showingseveral different forms of knives for different classes of work.

A is a metal frame, with lugs a a, provided with screw-holes forfastening it to a bench.

B B aretwo plates resting on top of the frame or base A, with theirinner sides parallel, leaving a longitudinal opening or channel, (2,between them. The strap or piece of leather to be trimmed resting inthis channel 0, the edges of these plates B B confine it and serve asguides. In Fig. 1 are shown two plates, DD, on top of these plates 13 B,with raised edges (1 (Z. The ctl'eet of these plates D D, with theirraised edges (6 (Z, is simply to deepen the cha r nel O and raise itssides to provide for heavy or thick work. The edges (1 d of the plates DD are immcdiatel y over and correspond Patent No. 384.,287, dated June12,1888.

Serial No. 265,793. tNomcdcl.)

with the edges of the plates E B. hen, however, it is desirable tochange the shape or form of the channel for some special form of work,the plates D D may be moved back or forward by the slots (2 (Z and setscrews (2d. For instance, if two strips of leather are sewed togetherand the edges of the narrower one only are to be trimmed, the plates 13B are adjusted to receive this narrower piece, while the guides D D aremoved farther apart to receive and guide the upper or wider strip.

On the forward ends of the plates B B are two uprights, F F, preferablycast in one piece with the plates B B. These uprights F F carry theknives E E, whose lower or cutting edges, 0 e, extend out across thechannel C in any desired position, according to the character of the cutto be madeas, for instance, in Fig. 3 the knives are shaped to cut ortrim oil the lower corners of the strap.

Through the bedplate A, as seen in Fig. 2, are slots G, extending acrossthe plate and at right angles to the channel G. Extending down throughthese slots are lugs H H. These lugs are made fast to the under side ofthe plates B B, and as they are moved in the slots G toward or from oneanother they of course move the plates B B toward or from one anotherand widen or narrow the channel or groove (3 on the top of the plate A,and also the uprights or jaws F F, carrying the knives.

Spiral springs I I, Fig. 2, press the lugs H H toward the center of theplate or toward one another. These springs are held in place by the pins9, whose ends pass freely through holes in the lugs H H. Upon the underside of the plate Aare \l-shaped plates or wedges J J, which slide inracksjj, or any convenient support, and are operated by a scrcwbolt, K,whose threads engage with corresponding threads in a log, L, attached tothe wedges J J.

The belt K passes loosely through the downward-extending flange A of theplate A, the shoulder or cnlargemcntK holding it in position. As it isturned by the thumb-piece K the wedges J J are moved or slid along inthe racks j, and as they are drawn toward the front of the machine bythe screw-bolt K their points pass between the lugs H H and force themapart, thus forcing the plates or guides ICO B B and D D apart, and alsothe jaws F F, carrying the knives. By means of the screwbolt the guidesand knives can be adjusted at any desired point to accommodate differentsizes of work.

Just back of the knives is a pressure-roller, M, for holding the strapor material to be trimmed down firmly and against the knives E. The axisof this prcssureroller M is pivoted to the arms of the sliding yoke N,which slides vertically in the arms of the carrier 0. A tension spring,0, presses downwardly against the top of the yoke N and against thecarrier 0, to hold the pressure-roller M down upon the work and at thesame time make the pressure elastic or yielding to any irregularities inthe work. This tension-spring is adjustable by the set-screw O, passingthrough the collar 0'. It is necessary or desirable, however, in orderto introduce the strap to the knives, to lift or remove thepressure-roller M and at the same time open the guides and jaws. Thecarrier 0 is therefore pivoted at I, so as to swing round in thedirection of the arrow until it stands at right angles to its positionwhen at work, thus getting it entirely out of the way of the new workbeing introduced, when it is again swung back and locked in position bythelatch or pin 1) being pressed under the catch 1), whereitis held bythe friction caused by the upward pressure of the roller against thespring 0. If more desirable, the carrier 0 may be so pivoted as to swingupwardly instead of laterally.

In order that the movement of the carrier out of the way to permit theintroduction of new work and the opening of the guides and jaws toreceive it may be simultaneous, I provide means by which, when thecarrier is moved, the guides and jaws are automatically opened or closedby the movement of the carrier. Beneath the plate A, I provide a stop,B. This may consist of simply a lug with an opening in it for thepassage ofthe bolt K, or, as in Fig. 2, a plate braced against two lugs,r r, to give it greater resistance. On the screw-bolt K, between thestop It and the front of the plate A, I provide a collar, S, which isadjustable on the bolt K by the set-screw s. Passing between this collarS and the stopplate R is a wedge, T. This wedge T is attached to thecarrier 0 by any convenient form of cam, as in Fig. 2, where a pin, t,on an extension of the carrier, moves in a slot, 15, on the outer end ofthe wedge T. As the carrier 0 is swung round, the pint, moving in theslot it, pushes the wedge T between the collar S and the stop-plate B.As the stop-plate is rigid, the collar, and with it the bolt K, aremoved toward the front of the machine, thus forcing apart the lugs H Hand plates B B with thejaws F F. As the carrier is swung back intoposition, the wedge '1 is withdrawn and the springs I I force the guidesand jaws in place again, so that by the movement of the roller M theguides and knives are automatically opened and closed.

The square plate W, which is really part of plate D, is intended simplyas a support for the roller M when swung out and to keep it on a levelwith its normal position.

The machine is adapted to be used for trimming leather in a greatvariety of forms by simply changing theknives and the guides.

Fig. 5 shows a knife for cutting square smooth edges on a strap.

In Fig. 3 the knives e e are designed to cut off or round the corners.

In Fig. 6 is shown a knife for splitting a single strip of leather intothree narrower strips. This knife is applied by slipping the legs 2 2into the opening 3 3 on the front of the plate A when the blades 4 atextend across the channel 0. The other forms of knives are fitted to theuprights or jaws F F by dovetail grooves, as shown at as, Figs. 4 and 5,which fit in corresponding vertical grooves in the jaws F F. Theseknives are held rigidly against any lateral movement, but are adjustablevertically.

Y Y are flat springs, one end of each being fastened to the plates 13 Band the other ends pressing down on the tops of the jaws F F, carryingthe knives. In these springs are setscrews y 3 connecting the springswit-h the knives, as shown in Fig. 3. By these setscrews 3 y the knivescan be adjusted up or down to make a heavy or light out In order toadapt the machine for trimming a round strip of leather, such asdriving-lines or the like, I provide a circular groove, z, in the rollerM. The jaws and guides are then set close together and a channel isformed, which is substantially round, except on the lower side, and byadjusting the leather it can be trimmed perfectly round.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a leather-trimming machine, the laterally-adj ustable guidescarrying the cuttingknives, in combination with the pressurerollermounted in a carrier pivoted to the bedplate and'connected with theguides,whereby the latter are automatically opened and closed by theswinging movements of the roller, substantially as described, and forthe purpose set forth.

2. Ina leather-trimming machine, a pressure-roller pivoted to themachine and connected with the guides by a cam or eccentric, in themanner described, for opening or closing the guides automatically by themovement of the pressure-roller, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

3. In a leather-trimming machine, the guideplates B B,with dependinglugs H Ii, in combination with the screw-bolt K. and sliding wedges J J,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the adjustable guides carrying the knives, of apressure-roller journaled in a springpressed vertically-sliding yokemounted in a carrier pivoted in such manner that the roller can be swungclear of the groove 2, for cutting round strips, snbstanthe guides,substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a leather-trimming machine, the screw bolt K and sliding wedges JJ, in combination with the adjustable collar S and wedge T,substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a leather-trimming machine, a pressure-roller provided with a.central groove, :4, in combination with the guides and knives arrangedto be adjusted to correspond with tially as and for the purposespecified.

7. The double guide-plates B B and D D, the latter adjustable upon theformer to make the upper part of the channel wider than the lower part,substantially as and for the purpose described.

GUSTAVE SCHMIDT.

\Vitnesses:

ALFRED M. ALLEN, ARTHUR STEM.

